The Grey Dragon
by 6Fortius9
Summary: Aera had died and reborn numerous times in Kouka. But...This time is just a bit different. This time, Hiryuu is back.
1. Chapter 1-1

-x-

Chapter 1.1

-x-

A/N: Yong-Hi is the mother of Soo-Won, in case anyone isn't aware. I maintain the head canon that she was a bartender; Yu-Hon - Soo-Won's daddy dearest who hung up all the heads of those he slaughtered - found her in her bar while celebrating yet another victory; and that her headstrong attitude charmed her oblivious way into his secretly soft heart.

-x-

The year is 808 years after the start of the Sky Tribe's rule. In the solace of her tiny, empty bar at the edges of the town, a young bartender thumbed the edges of her well-read book and skims the familiar words which she has long since memorised. Outside, the laughter of the town folks was ever present as they made merry on the first day of the New Year. Yet, she ignored them as she flipped the crisp, yellowed pages of the book titled [The Grey Dragon].

.

 _Entry 1_

 _Dear Ryuu,_

 _[A blotch of ink stained from a lingering brush] …I miss you._

 _Aera_

.

 _Entry 100_

 _Dear Ryuu,_

 _[The paper had been crinkled in certain edges where water met it] …I'm sorry. I'm sorry I tried to kill myself. I'm sorry._

 _Suk-Ja_

 _._

 _Entry 200_

 _Dear Ryuu,_

 _I won't apologize for helping Kaya. Kaya is sweet, gentle, and most importantly, the person who Z- [The last three letters were canceled out by harsh strokes] loves. Even if I die, even if I did not live long enough to see the end of their happiness, I refuse to regret helping that poor, kind woman who gave me warm food and love. So…don't you dare give me that pained look when you return to this world! I'll put you in a boston crab hold again if I have to!_

 _Sun-Hi_

 _._

 _Entry 300_

 _Dear Ryuu,_

 _Since you were watching from heavens, I'm certain you already know this – I was reborn into Guen's village this time round. It brought me much glee to see the absolute look of horror on their faces when they realized that I was the same person who dropped by years ago. Z- would definitely call me a sadist, but nevertheless, this life is just plenty amusing! Not to mention, the White dragon of this generation happens to be my twin! The number of coincidences is just too many to not muse at! Pft-ha!_

… _But…Hey. If you are going to be reincarnated in this generation, please just do it already. Don't keep Z- and I waiting any longer. It's torture._

 _Young-Hee_

 _._

On and on, went the entries till the thick book ended on the 1000th letter to 'Ryuu'. But that was not the end, the bartender knew. There were still sequels to the book, the entries increasing in number – and still rising to date. In fact, the only reason she was re-reading the book was because-

 _Thump._

The woman jumped, clasping a palm over her mouth to keep the squeal in when something tumbled against her door.

The bartender narrowed her eyes as she reached down for a large bottle of sake, wielding it like a bat as she dodged behind her bar. She had not spent her entire life in this business without learning a thing or two.

Gradually, she inched towards the window, preparing an escape route just in case.

Things did not come to that.

The bell tinkled softly to announce the entry of a customer or potential foe.

Her head could not snap faster towards the door.

There, the sight of that girl took her breath away.

Rainy white hair tumbling down the edges of her small face in waves, large pale eyes stared out inquisitively at her, framed by equally pale eyelashes.

The tiny girl lifted her foot and kicked a fallen man in the nuts, not even bothering to walk over the man as she entered the bar with silent footsteps.

The bartender was familiar with these types. They tended to come and go quietly, and without provocation, they tended to be peaceful though cryptic.

She forced a smile as she took her spot behind the bar.

"W-What can I get for you, Miss?" She asks despite it being closing hours.

An appraising stare was all she got before the woman – not girl, she realized – shrugged and pulled something out of the bag. The bartender tensed, before she reproached herself at her suspicion.

It was not a weapon, but a book. One which she had ordered, at that.

"You ordered this, didn't you?" The woman tilted her head quizzically. "…Miss Yong-Hi, right?"

The bartender could only stare. The woman certainly did not look like one to be in the delivery business, or any type of legal business at that.

"Y-Yes." She nodded stiffly, extending her hands. The book was pressed into her hands gingerly, and a glimpse at the precious title of _[The Grey Dragon – 2]_ brought stars into her eyes. Cradling the book into her chest, she beamed down at the small woman and answered with much more gratitude. "Thank you so much, Miss!"

Surprise mildly flickered across the woman's face before the edges of her lips rose up – not in a smile, but it was an attempt at one still and Yong-Hi took it happily.

"Do you really like that book so much?" The woman asked.

"Of course!" The passion in her answer took the woman off guard again, but Yong-Hi could care less. "The Grey Dragon may not be a book that is meant for everyone, but the realistic emotions of the main protagonist as she undergoes life in different times is what makes the book appealing! Pain, love, regret, and joy…it is a book that truly addresses the numerous happy things in life that we overlook each day as we live. And I admire the author for that!"

A pause.

Yong-Hi took in the wide-eyed stare and parted lips of the woman and leaned back.

"Ah…I'm sorry. I got a bit too enthused there." She chuckled and sighed. "It's just…This book is really special to me. When I was younger, my mother used to read it to me every day, saying that my life was saved by the Grey Dragon during my birthing. In fact, she used to say that the Grey dragon had beautiful rainy white hair and eyes as pale as cloudy skies, just like….you…"

Her eyes widened at the similarity. As her heart pounded louder in her chest, she took a look at the melancholy on the woman's face and _realized_.

But she doesn't speak her epiphany aloud. Something in the woman's face told her it was the unspeakable, and if what she read in the books was real, then it truly must be.

"…Haha…Just kidding! It's not like the Grey Dragon is real! I just like to think that my fantasies are not just that!" Her laughter was strained, but she managed to fake it before the woman's eyes. Still, Yong-Hi knew that the Grey Dragon knew as well as she did that she was lying.

"…You're right. Nobody can be reincarnated numerous times for two millenniums without going insane. The author of that book must be delirious." The tiny woman looked away.

Yong-Hi frowned at the insult. Towards the book or the author, the insults were the same to her regardless of whom it was that was saying them. Therefore, she stepped forward and pulled the woman's cheeks, mentally cheering over the bewildered expression the woman made for the first time.

"The author of this book is a truly hardworking, kind, and intelligent person! And I won't let you say anything to defile that!" She scolded, patting the reddened cheeks twice. "I think it's amazing that the protagonist of the story was able to live through two thousand years without losing her mind, and it's even more amazing that she supported both herself and her friend throughout that time. There must have been hard times…and there must have been times when she wanted to cry but couldn't. Nevertheless, she endured, and for that, she is a strong person!"

A wide-eyed teary stare this time was met without aversion.

Yong-Hi reached over her bar and embraced the tiny woman, squeezing her painfully.

"…-can't breathe." A small hand patted her shoulder twice gently.

"It's punishment for insulting my favorite author. Take it as it is." Yong-Hi smiled.

Minutes later find them outside the tiny bar, the tiny woman frowning as she kicked the men aside.

"Drunkards trying to lay a hand on me," She clarified under the questioning stare Yong-Hi sent her.

"Serves them right." Yong-Hi sighed, folding her arms. "It's good that I know their wives. They'd make sure to give them a proper punishment for the infidelity."

The women shared a look and Yong-Hi burst out into laughter. Even if it was for just a split second, she thought she saw the faintest of smiles reaching the other woman's lips and felt pride welling up in her for that. (What colour must pride be in the small girl's eyes?)

"…I've got to go." Grey eyes gazed into something invisible to her in the distance, and Yong-Hi understood. 'Spring green lights, like fireflies, had been escaping from them like smoke from chimneys', the book had said. That must be what she was seeing. "I need to hurry."

Yong-Hi reached over before the woman could move and grabbed her hands in her own.

"Thank you for everything, Miss." She whispered, shaking the two hands in her own for a good measure.

Dewy grey eyes gazed back at her, and the woman attempted a smile that was more of a grimace. Yong-Hi felt a moment of sympathy for the woman who cannot smile, but that was cut off by a hand sliding away from her grasp, patting the crown of her head gently, kindly.

"How big you have grown, Yong-Hi." Aera, Suk-Ja, Sun-Hi, Young-Hee, and whatever-her-name-is-now murmured. "My name is Min-Jun, Yong-Hi. Thank you, and goodbye."

'Min-Jun'…

Yong-Hi stumbled back to her bar by the time the tiny cloaked figure was long gone and laid her face in her palms. Ah…It's just as she expected. She's crying for the Grey Dragon, like she once did so long ago.

.

 _(But Yong-Hi is not the main character of this story.)_

.

 _Entry 15096_

 _Dear Ryuu,_

 _I met the child of a woman I once rescued. Her name is Yong-Hi. Crying in her heart when she recognized me, the child – now an official adult, with all the beauty her mother carried – embraced me and told me that I am strong for not crumbling under the weight of these years._

 _It's…absurd. She has only read the first book yet. How would she know if I remained strong throughout these years? If only she knew the truth, huh._

 _Still, I wish to remain strong in that child's eyes until she goes. Or at least, until my name in this life cease to exist._

 _Min-Jun_

.

It takes a moment through the hazy details of everything to realize who she had been laid beside.

Lips parted in astonishment, grey eyes were wide as she gazed into the familiar sea-greens of the woman whom she had saved years ago, who she would never have expected to meet for the third time in her long, long life.

Yong-Hi gazed back at her with startled but happy eyes, dark blond locks strewn around and matted to her face with the evidence of her hard labour. Pale fingers reached up to touch her cheek. Tears escaped Yong-Hi's eyes, but they were bright yellow and sparkling with – with _happiness_.

"Min-Jun…" Yong-Hi whispered. "…We meet again."

The grey dragon has lived long enough to recognize all the signs of death. The spring green lights escaping Yong-Hi's body at a startling speed only proved her right. As she reached out to grasp at a large finger, the reproach in those sea-green eyes stopped her short of doing it.

"No." Her cheek was pinched with too weak fingers. "If you do it, I would hate you forever."

Her eyes were wide.

What was this woman saying as she was dying?

With a whine, she tried once more to grab evasive fingers. Yong-Hi only sighed.

"'Dying and living is a natural process of life. But for me, whose story does not end with either, what am I but a monster?'" She quoted, startling Min-Jun into silence.

Those words…How long ago had she written them? Ten years? Five years? Or was it a millennium? Why does this woman treasure her words so much when she herself has forgotten what she said?

Yong-Hi smiled. She was always smiling that brightly.

"You are a monster, Min-Jun." For a moment, it felt like her heart came to a stop at those words. Yong-Hi's smile only widened. "But a kind monster you are. It's frightening how much pain you are stealing from us, you greedy little kind monster. You must be in so much pain now…and that's why, I won't let you rob me of anymore."

Min-Jun scowled at the smile and reached out nevertheless.

"Take her away, Yu-Hon." A soft smile and sigh was given.

Only then did she remember there had been others staring down at them all along, and the man who picked her up radiated both blue-black sparkles of pain and bright yellow hope.

He was conflicted.

She knew.

He was weighing between his wife's wish and life.

She knew.

But the moment black mourning entered his heart…She knew what his decision was.

Min-Jun bit her lip as the spring green fireflies left at a faster pace. She screeched in frustration when Yong-Hi – that tiny infant that she remembered helping to be born – was out of her sight and dying.

But still, she could not cry.

-x-

In another time and place, another story was taking place.

The year is the 135th year of the warring states period, precisely a few months before the establishment of the new dynasty and the rise of Hiryuu to the throne. In a tiny study room, a small stunted woman held her brush with enough force to break it and gritted her teeth as she drew letters onto thin paper.

.

 _Hiryuu,_

 _I hate you._

 _Aera_

 _._

No…That's not it.

She crumpled the paper and tossed it.

.

 _Ryuu,_

 _How could you leave without a single word-_

.

No.

.

 _Ryuu,_

 _Don't come back crying when the army beats you down-_

.

No. No. No. No.

.

 _Ryuu,_

… _Don't die._

.

…No.

Why was she still doing this? What was the use of writing to a bastard like him? This is all just a waste of paper, effort, and tears. Her siblings could use this paper so much more for their studies, compared to this. It's not like that person would be returning anytime soon just because she writes a letter or two. In fact, she knew, deep down, that unless the war ends, that overly considerate bastard would not be returning even if it kills him.

Ah…Her eyes burnt.

She watched the tears escape her eyes; watched the blue-black, sorrowful sparkles leaving her heart; and watched the grey sparkles leaving her in a constant stream – just like the spring green sparkles belonging to the villagers.

It hurts.

With her head bowed, Aera's shoulders shook with the shaking sobs she was making. The tears falling on her palms were blue. It hurts to be betrayed.

But she must not cry.

Grey eyes drifted over to the steady stream of spring green coming from the floor below. Her siblings still need her. She's the oldest one left, besides Guen. She must take care of them.

She must not cry.

Sniffing, the girl wiped her tears and stood up in ready to continue her job. Picking up the brush from its abandoned position on the desk, she chose to write down the single fact that she knew was true in the midst of her lost, clouded heart.

.

 _Dear Ryuu,_

… _I miss you._

 _Aera_

.

 _(But this is not the start of her story either.)_

-x-


	2. Chapter 1-2

-x-

Chapter 1.2

-x-

"Then…Just how did the story begin for her, Min-Jun?" Zeno asked as he leaned back on his hands, eyes gleaming with nostalgia.

Beside him, the adorable Green Dragon stopped his ravenous eating and peered up at her, beady purple eyes wide with curiosity. Their Blue Dragon dumped yet another fish bone in his ever growing stack and stared at her indifferently, but she could see the light orange sparkles of enthusiasm and powdery blue intelligence dancing a waltz around his heart.

She took a moment to sip her tea, intentionally drawing out the pause. Then, she cleared her throat and stated bluntly, "I don't know."

The answer made the enthusiastic Garou topple over whereas Ao slumped against the tree. Zeno burst out laughing at their reactions, clapping happily as Garou leapt back to his feet.

"How do you not know when you're the storyteller?!" He exclaimed.

Behind him, Ao muttered something that sounded like 'Mood-killer'.

"Well…You can't blame me for creating such independent characters who just insist on doing their own things." She lifted her hands in defense. "'Sides, stories are things that always start off silently."

"Bullshit." Ao rolled his eyes.

Zeno was still struggling with another bout of laughter when he said his usual line.

"T-Then, how about you tell us about another character which might have started her story?"

Some delight faded from his heart despite his cheerful way of talking, as the solemnity at the mention of that person settled in. She tried to shrug in what would hopefully pass off as nonchalant in their young ones' eyes (she likes to pretend that she was fooling Ao) and lowered her voice once more into her storytelling one.

"His name is Hiryuu, the red dragon god overlooking Kouka…"

-x-

His name is Hiryuu, the red dragon god placed in charge of the kingdom of Kouka by the Supreme God.

That is indeed his official name and duty.

Be that as it may, when asked about it, Hiryuu always lowers his voice and speak of his duty in a tiny, soft voice.

"Why are you so timid when the topic of your duty comes into question? You ought to puff your chest up and speak more boldly about it!" His brother, the White Dragon, never stopped reproaching him with this line.

"I cannot be proud of it, I'm afraid." The Red Dragon would reply. "Even though I am in charge of these humans, I am unable to understand them. The reason why they fight, their behaviour when influenced by emotions, the way they live their short mortal lives…These are things that I do not know. I am too incompetent to be their God."

The Green Dragon never failed to snort at his observations, but always kept his opinion to himself.

The Blue Dragon, however, was less reserved.

"You are their god in any case. You watch over all their actions, and you judge them when their time comes. There is no reason why you ought to concern yourself with their opinion."

"But-" He cut himself short of saying it.

How does one judge another when they could not even understand the basis of their actions?

He does not understand. He does not understand, and yet, he is a god.

"Then, why don't you ask them?" The Yellow Dragon, upon hearing his worries, questioned. "Take on the temporary form of a human and join their realm. See their world through their eyes, and experience for yourself the reasons why humans behave as such. If you are still unable to understand even then…you should ask the Grey Dragon then."

At the advice of his brother, Hiryuu took on physical form of a human and wandered the holy forest which he lived in.

As an immortal, he needed neither food nor water.

Just wandering around, it took five suns to realize that he was, as the humans were fond of putting it, 'lost'. Being lost in his own backyard, the red dragon sat down and thought for days, wondering what the humans would do at such a time.

It was then that he heard a thud against a tree.

Surprised, he ran to the source of the sound.

And there, standing in the middle of the woods was a young girl wielding a bow and arrow. Afraid she would hit him, Hiryuu hid in the bushes and waited, observing the young girl with sharp eyes.

She was small and thin, unlike the ones known as 'royalty' whom he observed from the skies.

Age was a concept that was foreign to him, but he supposed she was a child, from her short height relative to his own.

Clad in faded, dirty robes, the girl strode forward and tossed a bundle of rope around the red-painted deer, pulling it over her shoulders without minding the spilling blood in the slightest. Then, quietly, she left with both her belongings, wobbling unsteadily under the weight.

Hiryuu stared.

Looking down at himself, he realized the difference between the girl and himself.

With a swipe of the hand, his formerly naked form was obscured by the same faded rags that the girl wore. Not that he understood the meaning of it. Dragons were cold-blooded by nature.

Gazing at where the deer was previously, Hiryuu furrowed his brows in puzzlement. He knew humans had to eat to survive, though he did not comprehend the feeling of hunger. However, did that girl really feel 'hunger' so badly she needed so much food?

A rabbit came hopping out.

Hiryuu gazed at it curiously and squatted down, patting its little head and long ears gently. The furry animal turned its head to peer at him reverently.

He frowned.

He would never kill meaninglessly.

.

Many suns went up and down.

Hiryuu observed the girl daily, watching her pull that strange weaponry of hers and take down more animals.

Occasionally, she came with a smaller girl who was just two heads shorter than her. She called her a 'troublesome brat'. Hiryuu found it odd that the girl was talking as if she herself was not a child.

Still, Hiryuu could not understand.

The Yellow Dragon said to ask the humans…Maybe that's why he still does not comprehend?

Still, Hiryuu does not approach.

He did not know why, but there was just that feeling that something fragile might break if he was to do exactly that. The feeling reminded him of the Grey Dragon, who would often linger by the side of the Supreme God silently and flinch when any of them come too close. The Grey Dragon always had his head down, always looking tiny even before the smaller-sized Hiryuu.

On one of these numerous days, the girl fainted.

It was a horrid sound. Like the 'thud' of her arrows meeting the tree or the animals, she simply wobbled before she dropped limply to the ground. Like animals being shot to death.

He jumped.

Hiryuu did not know why.

In a fit of panic, which he still does not understand, he leapt over the bushes and grabbed the tiny human by the waist, supporting her head only when he realized how difficult it was to actually pick up at human that way.

Her eyes were closed and raven locks tumbled over to his shoulders but she was still breathing.

Thank heavens.

"…ugh…" Grey eyes parted with some effort and gazed at him. "…Y…you're…"

Don't die! He wanted to say as he shook her. But what came out was a mangled version of those words. The dragon's vocal chords differed greatly from the humans'.

"…Hahah…you're a wild child as expected." She chuckled, pushing herself up. "Don't worry. I'll be fine."

He released her when she attempted to stand.

Moments later, the girl toppled back into his arms.

"I can't walk in the slightest. Carry me to the village please, wild boy." She groaned.

Hiryuu blinked in surprise, but found himself quite unable to defy the first order a human ever gave him. Wrapping arms around her waist, he brought her up with mighty strength, only to hear her grumbling something about 'potato bags' and 'delicacy'.

Hiryuu didn't understand, but he was happy to help.

With a wide smile on his face, he carried the girl down the path she usually came from, guided by the occasional grumpy comments of the girl.

In an odd twisted way - and he knew the Blue Dragon would grumble if he heard it - the girl reminded him of the Blue Dragon.

.

"Aaa…Raaraw…Ah!"

The red-headed man waved his arms enthusiastically, bending forward to support himself with both palms.

Aera pushed herself up and swept the cool cloth from her head, giving the man a gaze which she hoped would convey her message.

When the red-haired man remained grinning ever so stupidly, she took a moment to remind herself of the background of the man and heaved a soft sigh.

"Don't worry about it. This tiny fever's nothing to me." She hoped she answered his question with these words. Attempting a smile and failing badly, based on the wide-eyed stare she received, she gave up and simply bowed her head clumsily. "Thanks for helping me out, wild boy."

The curious look she received transformed into a smile so bright she thought she saw flowers blooming around his face.

The red haired man beamed and took her hands, catching her off guard, shaking them enthusiastically.

"…Aah. Ah. Raarah."

Young Chia, ever the childish girl she still is, leaned in beside her and cupped her lips as she whispered into her ears, "How do you know what he's saying?"

"I don't." Aera answered with a roll of her eyes. The man was still making cooing noises. "That's why we have to teach him."

"Eeeeh?" Chia fell back on her bum, whining in obvious reluctance. "But we don't even know him!"

"You don't. But I do." Aera corrected, turning her hands over and tightening her grip over the soft hands that laid over hers.

She gazed into beautiful violet eyes and pursued her lips.

"Don't I?"

She had sensed him watching her for so long and looked away without saying a word. She liked to believe their relationship was something beyond strangers.

The man looked surprised, violet eyes widening and lips parting adorably.

Chia tossed her head back and yelled in a groan.

"Ujin Bro! Big Sis is picking up another stray again!" She complained.

"Tell her that she'll be responsible for feeding, bathing, and training it!" Came the response of her oldest younger brother.

She rolled her eyes at their behaviour and addressed the red haired man, causing him to jump.

"I am Aera." She pointed to herself. "A-eh-rah. This is-"

"Chia!" The nine year old cheered. "Pronounced Chee-ah!"

Large violet eyes blinked slowly.

For a moment, Aera worried if he even understood what they were saying, and knew the concept of a name. Afterall, for a guy who seemed to have grown up in the wilderness, there might have been no need for names at all. A moment later, it became obvious that her worry was for naught.

"…A-e-ra." The red haired man pronounced slowly and hesitantly, looking in her direction. She nodded affirmatively. Then, he turned towards Chia.

"C-Chee-Ah…" He appeared to struggle more with her name.

"Yes, I am Chia! For a man who's so old, you certainly seem kind of slow!"

…That one deserves a boston crab hold.

She flipped her sister over and sat on her back, pulling her legs towards her head.

"O-Ouch! Stop it, Sister! I'm sorry! I give in!" Chia slapped the ground.

"What should you say to Mister Nice Guy first?" She did not yield.

"I'm sorry, Mister Nice Guy!"

"Good." Aera returned under her sheets.

The man blinked at their interaction with a large smile, where others normally would have burst out laughing. Smoothing out her sheets, Aera peered up into innocent violet eyes and cocked her head, ignoring the whimpers of her little sister.

"Now that you know our names…could you tell us what your name is?"

He just blinked.

"Aera." She pointed to herself. "Chia." She pointed to her glaring sis. "You?" She pointed at him.

He hesitated before shaking his head.

"No name?" She furrowed her brows. "That's odd."

"Why don't you give him a name, Sis? He's your new pet afterall-" She froze at the menacing glint in her eyes before correcting herself. "-Pet project, I mean!"

Aera frowned.

Names were things that were precious, and it felt wrong to have to name someone without even knowing who they were.

Staring into large sparkling violet eyes, she sweatdropped and sighed, shaking her head in resignation.

Well, if the person himself is so enthused about this, what else can she say?

"…Hiryuu." She said, staring into startled eyes. "Named after the noble red dragon god who looks after us all…Are you fine with that?"

A moment of hesitation was what she was granted with. She felt a trickle of disappointment despite herself as she withdrew her hands from his grip.

"…If you don't like it, I have other names you might like-"

Her hands were snatched up, and Aera blinked at the rapidly shaking head of the man which sent long red locks flying everywhere.

"…You like it?"

A nod. He looked almost like a puppy with the wide eyes staring up at her and the eager to please attitude.

She lifted her hand and placed it on the crown of his red head, the edges of her lips lifting up into a tiny smile as she patted him on the head.

"Then, it's good."

.

The girl is named Aera. With five younger siblings of age 5, 9, 11, and 14 respectively, she was the oldest child still in the house at the age of sixteen. Hiryuu thought it finally made sense now, why she had always killed more animals than one usually requires to curb one's hunger.

Some things still did not make sense – Like why Aera looked sad when she said that she was the oldest now, why the room he was allowed to stay in had clothes of his size, and why the house lacked two older humans like he would see in the typical household.

But Hiryuu did not mind. He knew Aera would explain to him eventually, just like she does with almost everything he sees. He was grateful that the first human he saw was the tough but patient Aera.

Living in their house as what the little one – Chia – claimed a 'freeloader', Hiryuu learnt.

He learnt new pronunciations of words he could not convey in the human language. He learnt that humans require food, water, air, and warmth to live, though companionship appears to be something these humans value more highly than anything. He learnt that humans have a daily routine of work, rest, sleep that differed from the god's.

Hiryuu learnt.

He learnt with a thirst that no other gods have, and before long, he learnt too much.

 _("I've already eaten. Why don't you bring Hiryuu to eat while I finish my work on the fields?"_

 _Hiryuu was startled by the words and gazed reproachfully at his little human._

 _The girl was unsmiling, but the glint in her eyes as she narrowed her eyes at him told him all there is to be said._

 _Do not tell them. Just eat quietly, without a word._

 _He frowned and shook his head._

" _I ate as well." He said in his awkward mastery of the human words. "I no need food."_

 _And he knew that as a fact, because even in this illusionary human body, he never did feel the ache of the hunger that the children had described so many times. It hurt more to eat, to know that with every bite, he was actually consuming the life of another being on his lands._

 _Startled eyes gazed back at him before looking away with a strange look in them._

" _Chia, go ahead and eat with the others." She murmured quietly. The young girl looked up at them with a huff, and went off.)_

He learnt that Aera was small because she would always put her siblings before herself.

 _(The door slid open._

"… _What are you doing?" Ujin sweatdropped at his stance, a reaction he found weird. "Did Chia ask you to do this again?"_

 _He nodded curiously, still wondering at the other male's reaction._

" _That little brat." Ujin sighed. "I ought to pass her over to Aera for another punishment. Ah, and you really should stop doing that. My sister was just blowing off her stress on you by passing on her punishment to you. To begin with, it's her own fault for not doing her schoolwork…"_

 _He muttered in a low voice more words that Hiryuu strained to hear to no avail, padding across the room as he talked._

"… _What…are you doing?" Hiryuu asked hesitantly as he finally put down the bucket._

" _Getting Guen's winter coats. We could make a few more coats by using just one or two of his." Onyx eyes appraised the coats and nodded. "Yup. One should be able to fit both the twins. Though we should just tailor the young ones' coats…"_

 _Hiryuu cocked his head, lowering his eyes in mild confusion._

"… _Guen?" He had heard that name several times. Aera's expression always shuttered off at it._

"… _Nobody told you yet, had they?" Ujin lowered the coats in his grip and stared at him sympathetically._

 _A sigh was released. The raven laced a hand through his hair._

" _He's our eldest - The big brother who went to war and never returned."_

 _Hiryuu waited for more explanation. The two oldest of the siblings have grown used to explaining to him._

 _However, no continuation ever came._

 _Violet eyes peeked up at Ujin's expression, and he felt himself relax just a little at how his expression had not darkened like Aera's did. Perhaps…he could ask Ujin?_

" _Why…did he go to war?" He questioned._

 _That was one thing he had always wondered about humans. Now that he was finally able to say it aloud…it brought him both a bit of nostalgia and fear._

 _The reality of the human's realm is never easy. They had to eat because it would hurt. They had to work for the paper known as money, in order to get food. They had to kill to get food. He was frightened that the answer might yet be another thing he could not help as a god…_

 _Yet, he wanted to know._

 _Onyx eyes stared at him for the longest time before Ujin looked away, eyes darkening, much to Hiryuu's apprehension._

" _You really don't know anything, do you?" He sighed, expression a mix of emotions. "People go to war because of several reasons: For the more naïve ones, they want to protect their families. For the greedy ones, they wanted women and money. For realistic ones, they just wanted food to survive, even if they had to sell their lives for it. Guen was all three."_

 _With that reply, the oldest male of the family padded off once more, leaving the room which Hiryuu only just now realized belonged to the man known as Guen.)_

He learnt that Ujin and Aera hated Guen for leaving them.

 _("What is your dream, Hiryuu?" Gun-Woo, the younger of the twins asked one morning when they both woke up early._

" _Dream…?" He furrowed his brows in question, cocking his head in that one expression he knew they would recognize._

" _A dream is something that you want to achieve in the future."_

 _Hyun-Woo, the older twin, joined them on the roof._

" _It's a nice night out here, isn't it?" Hyun-Woo smiled serenely. "Aera would grumble if she sees us right now though." He said with laughter in his voice._

" _Let her grouch!" Gun-Woo laid on his arms. "She must be in that time of the month again!"_

" _Better not let her hear that, or she'll have your head." Hyun-Woo chuckled._

" _Time of the month…?" Hiryuu blinked curiously._

"… _Er." Gun-Woo's smile froze. "…So, so! What's your dream, Hiryuu?!"_

" _That's right, what do you want to achieve in the future?" Hyun-Woo chirped._

" _In the future…" Hiryuu thought for a moment and smiled. "It will be nice if I can get Guen to come home someday in the future."_

 _Gun-Woo blinked while Hyun-Woo turned away._

"… _Yup! It'll be good if we're able to bring Big Bro Guen back to us someday!" Gun-Woo laughed and patted his shoulders hard._

 _Through the hard pats on his back, Hiryuu coughed and managed to muster a weak, "…We…?"_

" _That's right! My dream is to someday join the army to find Big Bro before returning back to this village as a mercenary. When that happens, I would be able to work as a bodyguard and bring in large amounts of money for Big Sis." Gun-Woo's smile was as bright as the sun. "Then, Big Sis and Brother Ujin wouldn't have to make that face anymore when I mention Big Bro. Not to mention, Big Sis wouldn't have to starve herself anymore and-"_

"… _You'll just be going out there to die." Hyun-Woo stated quietly._

 _Hiryuu leaned in, concerned, when he saw how the young boy's face was shadowed. His body shook ever so slightly as he hugged himself._

" _To begin with, we don't even know if Big Bro is still alive. For all we know, he may be rotting somewhere out on the battlefields. …Otherwise, he probably abandoned us."_

" _Don't you say that about Big Bro!" Gun-Woo leapt to his feet, brows furrowed as he yelled at his brother. "Big Bro said he would give his life to give us money and to protect us! He wouldn't lie!"_

" _What do you know?!" Hyun-Woo curled further into himself. "It's not as if he replied to the letters we wrote! Y…You didn't see Big Sis cry!"_

" _I- I-…" Gun-Woo's expression fell. "I know. I know Ujin Bro and Big Sis hurt. That's why I'm going to the army to search for Big Bro!"_

 _Hyun-Woo did not reply. Could not, Hiryuu realized, when he curled an arm around the shaking boy the same way he saw Aera sometimes do for Chia and rub his shoulders comfortingly._

" _Gun-Woo." Hiryuu stated, calmly gazing into the eyes of the enraged boy and willing him to calm down. "…The others will be waking soon."_

 _Gun-Woo inhaled sharply before plopping himself down a distance away from the both of them._

"… _No matter what, I'm going out to search for Big Bro." He muttered, whether to himself or to them, Hiryuu did not know._

 _Hiryuu kept an eye on him, worried that the boy might do something reckless, but it was for naught._

" _Big Bro, Big Sis, and Ujin Bro gave so much for us. I owe it to them to keep them happy. Even if it takes my life, family must always come first."_

 _Hyun-Woo sniffed and wiped his eyes._

" _It's not as if I don't feel the same. It's just-…I just don't want any more of our family leaving meaninglessly. Not Father, not mother, not Big Bro…Not you."_

 _Gun-Woo kept his eyes down even as dawn broke through the horizon._

 _As red brushed aside the darkness that had shrouded them, Hiryuu pulled Gun-Woo into his other side and wondered if all humans were as warm and as tragic this family is.)_

He learnt that Gun-Woo and Hyun-Woo see all the sacrifices their family has made for them even if they pretend to be oblivious to their pain.

And above all, he learnt…

 _(The youngest and shyest, Shi-Woo, placed his hand into his own for the first time, and Hiryuu never felt as delighted in his time as an immortal.)_

 _(Chia scowled when he refused to bow down and kicked his shin for a good measure until Hiryuu crumpled over in pain._

 _Then, tiny hands grabbed his shoulders to hold him still and Hiryuu had flinched at what he thought was a slap to the face until a flower crown was placed on his head. He blinked, wide-eyed in confusion and even fear. The young girl subsequently guided him over to the closest river and made him peer into it._

" _It's not pretty compared to my friends'." Chia fiddled with her fingers. "But I tried my best to make it."_

 _Hiryuu smiled and patted at the crown of her head, the same way Aera always did with all of them._

" _Thank you, Chia. It's the best gift I have ever received!"_

 _And indeed, it is.)_

Above all, Hiryuu learnt that he loved these humans more than any other being, and before he knew it, he found himself wishing that he actually was one of them.

.

-x-

A/N: Do fav/fol/rev to let me know what you think! This story has been deleted once and is now reposted tentatively to test the reception.


	3. Chapter 1-3

-x-

Chapter 1.3

-x-

On her part, she knew.

She knew that every now and then, a man would appear at the distance and would look at them with the oddest expression…Or rather, those grey eyes of his would focus in on Hiryuu in a strange manner. She kept an eye on the man from a distance, told Ujin to stay at home whenever she could not, and each time, the expression on the man's face only grew more displeased at what he saw.

Soon, that man will do something.

That was exactly why Aera was not surprised when she met the man on her way home from hunting one day.

"…What exactly is your motive?" She asked, tilting her head.

The man said nothing.

"Why are you always looking at Hiryuu?"

Again, no response.

Aera narrowed her eyes and peered up dubiously at the rainy white haired man, wondering if he even comprehended human language.

She may not have been academically-inclined like both Gun-Woo and Hyun-Woo, but she knew enough to tell from Hiryuu's behaviour that he was more of an ignorant rich kid rather than a wild child.

She also knew that Hiryuu was likely not human, for even she needed some food after two days of starvation, and that red headed idiot had just tilted his head in confusion when asked about it.

The man she was looking at had the same aura that Hiryuu did, even if he was less inquisitive and a lot more suspicious.

"…Hey," She cocked her head, narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip over her bow. "Are you human?"

Grey eyes narrowed and dilated.

In the distance, a bell tinkled, and their surroundings changed.

Aera covered her parted lips with her sleeve, wincing as the wind blew roughly against her cheeks.

Trees and shrubs changed into an ever-expanding land of colourless ice, like the rainy white of the man's hair.

The man in question had disappeared himself, replaced by a clear and slightly grey dragon breathing down menacingly at her. The grey eyes were the only things that remained.

She gulped as the last winds died down, and straightened to her fullest height.

Glaring at the dragon with narrowed eyes, she resisted the urge to hug herself and questioned softly,

"Why did you bring me here?"

The dragon stared at her with ominous eyes, peering wordlessly into her very soul.

She frowned and sighed, plopping herself down on crossed legs.

"Fine. Seeing as if you're not about to answer me, I might as well get start on skinning this deer. Just ask if you want some."

Deafening silence replied.

The only audible sounds were that of her knife against the parts of the deer.

Mildly, she wondered if the dragon was yet another ignorant rich kid like Hiryuu. He was certainly not averting his eyes, unlike the red headed idiot.

She felt nary a thing at discovering that the red headed man was the dragon god Hiryuu himself. In hindsight, everything makes sense.

"… _Hiryuu is in danger."_ The dragon whispered suddenly, the sound like the roar of a bear in winter.

She made a cut at the gullet and windpipe before placing down her knife.

"How so?" She asked, lifting her head up to the dragon god.

"… _Human. He wished to be mortal. That's why I was called here."_ She tried to hide her confusion behind indifference, but the all seeing grey eyes saw through her in an instance. _"I am the Grey Dragon, the guardian of all gods, and the guard of the boundaries. As such, it is my duty to prevent any gods from getting too close to you mortals."_

"…I'm not sure I understand." She lied, pursuing her lips.

" _You do."_ The Grey Dragon broke through it in an instance.

She frowned and bowed her head in agreement. She did understand.

Hiryuu was a god. No matter what occurs, a god should never be as close to them as he is, or he would just become another human with powers and potential of misusing it. When such a thing happens…The god would just be a useless one.

"Then, are you here to kill me?" She asked, picking her knife up again in preparation for a fight. God or not, she was not going down without a fight.

"… _No."_

"No?" She questioned, startled.

" _I am the guardian of the boundaries. But it does not give me the right to judge any mortals. Instead, I am here to give Hiryuu his punishment."_

"What…is it, if I may ask." Aera forced out through gritted teeth.

" _I grant him half my powers as a punishment."_ The Grey Dragon illustrated blankly. _"The curse of having to see the pain of the mortals without the ability to help in the slightest…That is the curse that is accorded to all Gods who grow too close to the mortals. Until Hiryuu learns to stop wishing that he was a human, that curse will continue for however long."_

Her heart pounded.

The blood on her hands felt like sweat.

For such a curse to be placed on that Hiryuu…It was cruel thing to do.

What about the future? If that kind Hiryuu grows distant from humans because of the curse…that would just be too tragic.

"What if I were to take the curse in his stead?" She questioned.

"… _What?"_

"If I were to take the curse, I would no doubt be in pain. When Hiryuu sees it, surely, being the compassionate god he is, he would understand that being close to us is but another thing he ought not to do. That's why…this arrangement would work, wouldn't it?"

"… _But why would you do such a thing?"_ The Grey Dragon questioned, suspicious of her intentions.

"Because curiosity is something that is unstoppable." She answered, smiling softly. "For a person as kind and inquisitive as Hiryuu…Being able to stop wishing that he is a human is an impossible task. That's why, instead of having him be the one in pain, I think this arrangement would be more effective in repelling him from humans."

"… _Very well. I shall grant you half my powers, mortal. You are indeed as brave as I have observed."_

Aera blinked. What-?

A swirl of wind surrounded her, obscuring her from the dragon's sight. A moment later, when she awoke to the setting sun in the forest, spring green fireflies filled the air as they escaped the grass, trees, animals, and all life that was around her, including herself.

-x-

 _Entry 15100_

 _Dear Ryuu,_

 _I am two, and I am Min-Jun again._

 _I don't know how to feel. Born to a woman who was a link from my previous life, I live my life for the second time as a noble. Granddaughter to the king, daughter to the man whom everyone expects to be the king…This amount of expectations is overwhelming. Thank heavens you hadn't accorded the position of a Tribal head to me – I would have knocked you over the head!_

 _But really, I know the pressure I am experiencing is actually lax in comparison to my new brother. As the one whom they call cursed, and as the one whom they said killed Yong-Hi, while there may be pressure to not act out of line, it is actually a relief that so many eyes were attempting to not glance my way. I could work in the shadows like I've always done in our time. I could find Z- and the other dragons again in my freedom._

 _Although…Soo Won might just be the death of me someday._

 _Min-Jun_

 _._

"Min-Jun!"

The loud squeal made her jump.

Grey eyes wide with fear, she looked around her for any signs of a rapidly incoming blonde and relaxed marginally at his absence. Thank goodness. That means she still has time.

Shoving the sheet of paper underneath the cupboard at the edge of her room, she pushed herself up on clumsy limbs and ran.

Out of the door she went at a too-slow speed, down the hallway she ran, away from wherever the source of that noise is, past the servants who were too used to their antics, into the study of the one person whom she knew he respects too much to disturb.

Then, she squeezed herself into the desk, patting the feet appreciatively when he made way for her and placing her finger on her lips in the universal sign of 'shush'.

The man lifted a brow at her and rolled his eyes, returning to his work.

Seconds later, the light footsteps closed in on her. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for her doom.

Panting sounded in the room.

"F…Father…Have you seen Min-Jun coming this way?" The young boy panted.

She prodded her father's leg, earning herself a glance and a paling look when she grabbed a couple of his leg hairs threateningly.

'Lie or die'. The message is clear.

"She came through this way." A partial lie it was.

"Okay! Thanks for your help!"

The light footsteps grew further away until it was all but inaudible.

Huffing, Min-Jun released her hostages and climbed back onto her feet, shooting an unamused look at the expression on the man's face.

"A two millennium old woman fears the wrath of a four year old. How sad this is." Yu-Hon illustrated as he smoothed out his own robes.

"The greatest warrior of Kouka fears the pain of a few leg hairs being plucked. How tragic this is." She mimicked.

The duo shared a look and smirked. Min-Jun smoothed out her robes as she plopped herself onto the ground, scowling at the sly knowing look that the man shot her.

"Tell my teacher for all I care." She rolled her eyes. "All these etiquette are just nonsensical things in face with the ordeal of time."

The amusement in dark eyes dulled and faded. The man scowled at the reminder and looked away.

"Oh, come now." She heaved a long suffering sigh. "Surely, we are not going to talk about how much pain and suffering I've been through so far and how much Yong-Hi adored me?"

The silence she was met with was sufficient a reply.

Min-Jun scowled and folded her arms.

This man, Yu-Hon, is another Hiryuu in the making.

Peering up at the blue-black sparkles decorating his heart, she wondered what she could say to alleviate his pain, even a little, and to make him a bit less reluctant in hurting her for his purpose.

Afterall, his wife had not wanted her to use her powers in the least even while on her deathbed, and here he was, waging a war that was slowly hurting her and indirectly betraying his wife.

Min-Jun scowled, staring at the spring green filling the room, the olive jealousy, the black spots of grief, maroon anger, and blue black sorrow, all threatening to dwarf the room in their ugly, muddy mixture.

The source of this was not them, she knew.

Still, even as they conquered and won more lands, the mixture of the emotions of their foes (lands taken over by them) thickened and sunk into her skin, increasing the pain by the day.

She wanted it to stop.

Surely, as the Grey Dragon, the friend of the first king, Hiryuu wouldn't mind if she tried to stop this war for her own health?

…But dragons warriors are things of the legends, long since passed. The people owe them nothing, and they in turn owe the people nothing after refusing to surface for centuries. (Zeno and her both.) It seems only fair that they're allowed to fight a war to gain more resources for themselves – regardless of its impact on a single dragon warrior.

And that's what she'd been trying to convince Yu-Hon of ever since he discovered this backlash of her powers.

"…Enough. Your glumness is affecting my mood as well." She sighed. Staring up into startled onyx eyes, she reproached gently. "Now, I want to see some happiness in that heart of yours unless you want me to manipulate your mood."

She wriggled her fingers in a disgusting manner, and to her relief, orange amusement once more glittered in his heart.

Yu-Hon smirked.

"I know I'm an infant compared to you, but you don't have to treat me as such."

"Brat." She scoffed. "Now, don't you dare tell Soo-Won where I am when I leave this place."

.

 _Entry 2_

 _Ryuu,_

 _It hurts._

 _It huuurts…It hurts, you bastard!_

 _They died. Each and every single one of them._

 _Granny Chiyo who lived by the river. The newspaper boy Shouta. The newborn infant Maya. That man who always gave you a peach to eat. That woman who always stared at us from beyond the river. Everyone. Everyone beyond the river died!_

 _Green…Spring green lights, like fireflies, had been escaping from them like smoke from chimneys…Each and every single one of them had their life torn from them by that disease. Each. And. Every. Single. One._

 _Their eyes were sunken in. There were no lights coming from their bodies. And before that, that village's guards had blocked the bridge, placing a sign for us to not enter. Their hearts were black. Black mourning. They were in mourning I wondered why I should have [Bold strokes wiped out words] I should have [ words growing illegible and large] I should havesaidsomethingnomatterwhat! All my fault. It's all my fault. It's all my fault. All my fault!_

 _[Bold strokes decorated the page, seemingly drawn out of anger and frustration rather than actual words]_

 _Help me…Ryuu._

 _I can't go on. I can't survive this curse if you're not there to remind me of why I'm doing this._

 _Please…You're a god, aren't you?_

 _Aera_

.

She had been nine months old when she stopped the pretence.

Min-Seo, her mother's loyal maid and now her permanent caretaker, had rapped on the door, and she had pretended to suck her pacifier enthusiastically when the man said something and they entered.

All had been well at this point. The funeral had been held. The man had been grieving just as she expected.

She had felt no triumph, only exhaustion, and the young boy had come into her room at several moments to catch a glimpse of the little sister he was still excited about having.

Yong-Hi had raised her boy well. He hardly hated her, from what she could see, despite the rumours about her being cursed.

All had been well – until she saw the book in her father's hands, saw the page it was on, and then, maroon anger sprouted from her chest.

Wriggling out of Min-Seo's grip, she tumbled into the man's clumsy but rough hands and slapped him as hard as she could.

Beady eyes stared down at her, dazed, and she glared as she inwardly cursed her inability to talk clearly at this point.

Grabbing the book held limply in his hands, she scrunched the page and ripped it out, tossing it aside.

Min-Jun had stood at this point – giving away that new knowledge she had so wanted to surprise him with – and glared into his eyes with both palms grabbing fistfuls of his hair on either side of his head.

"….No!" She screeched.

She did not want this man to see her the way Yong-Hi did – as a character in the books who was to be pitied, to be loved, to be admired – and to have him force himself to love her as a father.

She knew he hated her, this man.

She knew he despised her for having to be born to his wife, for forcing him to make the decision between following his wife's wish and saving her life, and she knew he regrets his choice.

But there was a reason why she so rarely used her manipulation powers so rarely outside of saving lives. Manipulation of human emotions is just something she could not tolerate – a dirty tactic that refuses to face the truth, and that the cowardly man is doing this to himself at the very moment…it's absolutely revolting.

Min-Jun stood, and oh yes, she made sure to stand on his nuts, jumping hard enough for a good measure before Min-Seo took her away, stunned.

The man with the dazed eyes slowly looked up at her, barely registering what was supposedly overwhelming pain.

Min-Jun stared back with fury, and in all earnestly, said only two words.

"Muck chu."

She hated swearing, but this had to be done. It was the only words to encompass what she was feeling.

Min-Seo took her to her room and kept her there for days in fear of a raging man.

A week later, the man named Yu-Hon walked into her room, neatly groomed and eyes no longer as dead as before.

The man sat down beside her under the threatening eyes of Min-Seo, and lifting her up by her arms (she shook her head at the tensing muscles of Yong-Hi's loyal servant), Yu-Hon looked at her in the eyes and answered with three words.

"Fuck you too."

-x-

"What happened to Aera after she was cursed?" Garou leaned in, entranced by her story.

"She lived." Her answer was so overwhelmingly simple it made all three dragon warriors deadpan at her.

"Well, what else do you want her to do? It's not as if she could afford to hide herself away in her room, being one of the two breadwinners of the family. However, she did not tell Hiryuu either; It's not as if Hiryuu could do a thing to stop the pain afterall. So long as she bore with the pain, she would be able to have Hiryuu by her side…That was what she thought."

-x-

Hiryuu saw. Hiryuu knew. Hiryuu said nothing.

The days passed as more suns went up and down.

The red dragon knew that the grey dragon, his brother, would come for him at some point, even though he did not know when.

That's why, even when he was allocated tasks to finish, Hiryuu would often secretly follow his tiny human into the woods and back, just like he used to.

He had been worried that his brother would get lost like he did. He had been even more scared that his brother might do something to the tiny human who was his beginning, and that both his brother and his human would suffer due to it.

And his fears came through.

The sound of a bell tinkled.

He had not reached her fast enough before she was brought into his brother's realm.

However, he had caught her as she tumbled, placed her onto the ground when her hands reached for her blade, and heard her words as they conversed.

Hiryuu heard.

Hiryuu cried.

Hiryuu hid himself when she awoke, and followed behind her secretly as she stumbled down the path back home.

He pretended to not notice. He ate with more vigour than usual, copying the children's behaviour. He tried to hide his sadness, and he knew he failed by the look in her eyes.

The Grey Dragon sees emotions. He sees life and happiness, but all she inherited was probably the ability to see the yin, without any yang.

She worked. She worked endlessly, often without rest.

The children watched and wondered.

Hiryuu watched. Hiryuu cried. And Hiryuu made a promise to himself.

He would become human.

No, he must become human. He has to correct all the things in this world that cause her pain, if only to alleviate her curse by just a tiny bit. He has to help his tiny human, to thank her for all the things she had done for him. He must, and he will.

Without hesitance, Hiryuu disappeared into the woods.

Three days later, he re-emerged with a pain in his stomach that almost had him crying, but also made him feel so very happy.

So this is the feeling of 'hunger'.

He was human.

And he felt happy.

.

It took a day before she realized something was not right.

He was easier to injure, hands swelling up after a day of hard labour at the fields. Still, the joy on his face was eminent, and the absence of any negative feelings made him more tolerable than he usually was. His stomach growled when she met him at the entrance, and he looked so gloriously happy at it Chia wondered aloud if he had gone off the deep end.

"Tell me, Hiryuu." She said as she sharpened her hunting knife.

The others had been asleep by now, soft snores sounding through the thin walls.

"Are you human now? Or are you a dragon?"

"I am human!" The red headed fool said with sparkles and rainbows around him. "I am human, just like you, Aera!"

She flipped out for a split second and when she came to her senses, she found herself on her feet, a hunting blade positioned mere centimetres away from the gorgeous red hair that she found herself quite unable to touch.

Hiryuu squeaked and scrambled back as she approached him with silent steps.

"A-Aera?!" He whimpered.

She plucked the hunting blade from the wall and replaced it with a stomp of her leg.

"Yes, that is indeed me. Do you have something else you need to say, Idiot Ryuu?" She questioned with a forced smile, brandishing her shiny, just-sharpened blade.

"I-I'm sorry?"

It was a question, but she took it from the ever ignorant dragon – human now, she supposes.

Slumping, she heaved a long suffering sigh and left the wall to return to sharpening the knife. Minutes later, a still fearful Hiryuu followed her back to his seat, peering up at her with large violet eyes.

"…Are you angry, Aera?" He asked softly.

"…No." She said.

"Really?" The doubtful glint in his eyes gave her a migraine.

"If you don't believe me when I said 'no', would you be any happier if I said I was angry?" She huffed, gritting her teeth when the first tears fell.

She wiped it off with her kimono and continued her work, unwilling to meet his surely concerned eyes.

"I am…frustrated."

"Why do you feel that way?" Hiryuu asked instinctively, the same way she always had the younger children psychoanalyze themselves to understand better.

"Because a certain red headed idiot went off and sacrificed his godhood for us. And here I thought I could be a hero, that sacrificing some part of myself for you was okay. I guess my actions meant nothing to you." She sniffled, a wet but sad sound combined with her watery eyes. "Now, the both of us are in the worst positions we could possibly be in, and there's no help at all-"

"That's not true." He leaned in and reached out to wrap his arms around her shoulders, pulling her into his chest. "We have each other, don't we, Aera? Along with Ujin, Gun-Woo, Hyun-Woo, Chia, and Shi-Woo. It'll all be okay."

He ruffled the crown of her head like she used to do with him and smiled when she buried herself further into his clothes, the never seen before tears escaping freely.

"This is retarded. I must never cry." She said the second line like a mantra repeated numerous times.

Hiryuu chuckled and patted her head.

"That's stupid. Humans should just be humans and let their emotions flow."

"Yeah right, you idiotic dragon. Like you'd know about that." She snorted at the irony.

He only smiled and repeated the soothing motion over and over until her breathing evened out in slumber.

Picking her up with a normal human strength, he once more realized how light his human – friend, he told himself to use the word now – is and furrowed his brows with worry as he tucked her into her sheets beside Chia.

Behind him, in the other room where the males of the family slept, loud snores could be heard alongside a grumble as Gun-Woo kicked someone in his sleep again.

Hiryuu chuckled to himself and went to his room, dragging the futon to the boys' room with him.

Just for this one night, he thought to himself as he curled into a ball between the tiny Shi-Woo and the wall. He wanted to sleep soundly with this family for just one night like he was a part of them, before he would part ways to make everything better for them.

…Ah. So that's why Guen left.

Hiryuu finally understood.

With a sad smile, he drifted off to sleep, wondering if Aera and Ujin would hate him like with Guen if he leaves…if Aera would cry because of him…

.

She woke up to emptiness in her heart, and she knew that something had happened.

Rising to her feet, she made sure Chia was wrapped up snugly in her sheets before counting down the boys. Ujin, Gun-Woo, Hyun-Woo, Shi-Woo…

Something was wrong though. There was too little spring green sparkles to be natural. Someone was missing. Someone was gone. Just like that time with Guen-

She dashed to his room. She knew it before she opened the door, from the absence of spring green, that-

That he was gone.

-x-


End file.
